1. It was acknowledged that Youth Football Development is the foundation on which the future of Nigerian Football is based. It was also recognised as a continuous process whose proper foundation must be laid now and acknowledged as entailing more than merely organising tournaments but involves implementing the NFF Youth Development Policy to drive a National Youth Development Plan putting Nigeria first and in line with the tenets of football, eschewing any Personal, Ethnic, State or Zonal interest.
2.The Committee applauded the presentation of Mallam Shehu Dikko, at its meeting and resolved that in line with the NFF Statutes, it must support and forge a synergy with the Youth Development Programs of the LMC to ensure that it remains in tandem with the NFF Youth Football Development Policy. A sub-committee of 4 members was set up to discuss this further with the LMC to actualise this resolution and submit a report in 3 weeks.
3. A National Youth Football Development Seminar with local and international facilitators is to be organised in Lagos on or before May 2017 which will end with a Youth Football Match. A sub-committee of 3 members was set up to draw up a plan for the successful organization of the NFF Youth Football Development Seminar and submit a report in 2 weeks.
4. The selected players from the 2016 Future Super Eagles U13/U15 tournament will be called to camp during the school holidays in April 2017 and may in that month attend an international youth tournament along with the best players from the 2016 Channels Kids Cup, as being currently planned by the NFF.
5. The Committee resolved to continue its oversight function over and also support for the Channels Kids Cup competition (an NFF Protected Tournament) which will have its Final in May, to ensure it grows into an internationally recognised Youth Football Tournament in 2 years.
6. Each State FA must have a State Youth Football Committee to oversee all Youth Football programs at the State level and nominate a Youth Development Liason Officer who will be trained by the NFF and will act as State FA Liason with the NFF Youth Football Committee.
7. It was resolved that Youth Football Development Funds made available for the use of the Committee must be spread to all the State FAs in tranches, in order to ensure transparency and accountability for every such disbursement to the State FAs in line with the new Integrity Initiative of the NFF.
8. Guidelines for the appointment of Youth Football Coaches and Youth Development Officers shall be drawn up by the Technical Department under the leadership of the NFF Technical Director and approved by a joint team of the NFF Youth Development and Technical Committees. All State FA Youth Development Liason Officers will attend a training program in Ilorin in June while all nominated fit and proper Youth Development Coaches will attend registration and training sessions at State and National levels intermittently through the year.
9. The Youth Football Committee resolved to commence a Future Super Falcons U15 Tournament in 2017. All States FAs are to conclude their Future Super Eagles and Future Super Falcons Tournaments by the end of July 2017, The Zonal tournaments will take place in August and the finals of the National Tournament will take place on or before the beginning of September. Young referees and referees in training will officiate these matches.
10. In a bid to curb the proliferation of exploitative Youth Football Tournaments and to encourage serious Youth Football Tournament organisers, all potential organisers of National Youth Football Tournaments/Events must affiliate with their relevant State FAs and have the Tournaments/Events endorsed by the said State FA before they approach the NFF through their State FAs for endorsement.
11. In order to begin the gradual process of regulating the Football Academies in the country, the guidelines for the registration and grading of Academies will be reviewed by the NFF Technical Department Staff and endorsed by the Technical Committee for immediate implementation. Each Academy will however be required to first affiliate with its State FA before being entered on the NFF data base.
12. In order to encourage the relevant proprietors to register their respective Academies, the NFF will organise a 2017 Academies Football Tournament among registered Grade"A" Football Academies immediately after the Future Super Eagles and Future Super Falcons Tournaments in September. The best players from this competition will be invited to fight for places in the National Youth Teams and then be selected for further training and development.
13. The Committee resolved to work with the Organising Committee to organise a 4 –Nation Youth Football Tournament at the end of the year and will immediately reach out to some States of the Federation to request that they indicate their interest in supporting the NFF with the hosting of the tournament.
Seyi Akinwunmi
1st Vice President NFF/Chairman, Youth Football Committee